Electron discharge device and power supply assembly



p 1966 M. I. DISMAN ETAL 3,274,448

ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE AND POWER SUPPLY ASSEMBLY Filed March 9, 1964 INVENTORS H 3 ZQ CHARLES M. EALLONARDO I I AN I MURRAY I. DISMAN I l J BY I 28 45 31 3O 31 Mafia w 3,274,448 ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE AND POWER SUPPLY ASSEMBLY Murray I. Disman, Sunnyvale,.and Charles M. Eallonardo,

Cupertino, Calif, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

Varian Associates, a corporation of California Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 350,293 15 Claims. (Cl. 317100) This invention relates to an electron discharge device and power supply assembly and more particularly to a traveling wave tube and power supply package that operates equally well in a variety of environments from the earths atmosphere to outer space.

Present day demands require that many microwave components and systems function equally well in a variety of diverse environments. For example, it may be necessary for a microwave system or component, such as a microwave tube, to perform equally well in the earths atmosphere and in the vacuum of interplanetary space as well as in intermediate altitudes surrounding the earth and other planets or terrestrial bodies. These demands require microwave components and systems having a degree of ruggedness, efficiency, long life, sophisticated design, etc. not easily obtained.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a microwave tube and power supply assembly that functions equally well in a variety of diverse environments.

Another object of this invention is to provide an assembly, including an electron discharge device and an operating power supply, that operates equally well in the earths atmosphere as well as in the vacuum of outer space.

A further object of this invention is to provide an electron discharge device and power supply therefor that are contained within their own atmosphere.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an electron tube and power supply assembly wherein heat generated by the tube and power supply is sufficiently dissipated.

These and other objects of the presentinvention are accomplished by an electron discharge device and power supply assembly that includes a first hermetically sealed container fabricated from a magnetic material. An electron discharge device, such as a traveling wave tube, is secured within the first container and is thermally coupled thereto. Enclosed within and thermally coupled to a second [hermetically sealed container fabricated from a magnetic material is a power supply that provides the operating voltages for the electron discharge deveice. An elastic tubular member having one of its ends hermetically secured to the first container adjacent an opening therein and its other end hermetically secured to the second container adjacent an opening therein provides a passageway between the interior of the first and second containers.

Electrical conductors or leads contained within the tubular member are connected between voltage terminals on the power supply and the appropriate voltage terminals on the electron discharge device to provide operating potentials for the electron discharge device. An inert gas, such as sulfur hexafiuoride, is contained Within the first and second containers and the tubular member and surrounds the voltage terminals on the electron discharge device and the power supply to prevent arcing and corona discharges. If desired, the first and second containers are mechanically and thermally secured to a base plate formed from a material, such as aluminum, which is light weight and a good heat conductor.

This invention as well as other objects, features and advantages thereof will be readily apparent from consideration of the following detailed description relating to the annexed drawing in which:

United States Patent 0 1 Patented Sept. 20, 1966 FIGURE 1 illustrates an electron discharge device and power supply package fabricated in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 1-A is a side view, in partial cross-section, of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE l-B is a top view, in partial cross-section, of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE l; and

FIGURE l-C illustrates, in partial cross-section, a portion of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is illustrated in FIGURE 1 an electron discharge device and power supply package fabricated in accordance with the present invention and which includes a base plate 11 which functions as a heat sink. The base plate 11 is fabricated from any suitable material, such as aluminum, which is a good heat conductor. Aluminum is also desirable because of its high strength and low weight characteristics.

Mechanically and thermally secured to the base plate 11 is a first hermetically sealed rectangular compartment or container 12 within which is enclosed an electron discharge device, such as a traveling wave tube. In order to shield other components in the system from magnetic fields generated by the electron discharge device or its beam focusing structure and to prevent any undesirable interaction between said magnetic fields and external magnetic fields, such as the earths magnetic field, the first container 12 is fabricated from a suitable magnetic shielding material, such as Kovar. Other mag netic materials other than Kovar may be utilized, however, Kovar has the additional advantages of being light weight, of high strength and is readily formed into hermetically sealed containers by using various well known techniques, such as welding, brazing, heliarcing, etc. Extending out of and hermetically sealed to the first container 12 are the input 13 and output 14 terminals of an electron discharge device, such as a traveling wave tube, enclosed within the first container. In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the input 13 and output 14 terminals of a traveling Wave tube enclosed within the first container 12 were coaxial. Whenever it is desirable that the output of the traveling wave tube be coupled to a waveguide system, a coax-waveguide adapter 15 is coupled to the coaxial output terminal 14 and mechanically secured to the first container 12 by any suitable means, such as the ruse of clamps, bolts, etc. Inasmuch as the coaxial input 13 and output 14 terminals of a traveling wave tube are located outside of the vacuum envelope of the tube, an RF. output window hermetically sealed within the coax-waveguide adapter is not necessary. If desired, a filter, such as a coaxial multisectional transmission type low pass filter, may be contained within the coax-waveguide adapter 15 in order to filter out any undesired frequencies, such as second harmonics, etc.

A second hermetically sealed rectangular container or compartment 16 is also mechanically and thermally secured to the base plate 11 and encloses a power supply which provides the necessary operating potentials or voltages for the electron discharge device enclosed within the first container 12. The second container is also fabricated from a magnetic material such as Kovar.

A hollow flexible tubular member, such as a bellows 17, has one of its ends hermetically secured to the first container 12 adjacent an opening therein and its other end hermetically secured to the second container 16 adjacent an opening therein thereby providing a passageway between the interior of the first 12 and second 16 compartments. Insulated voltage conductors or leads enclosed within the bellows 17 are connected between voltage terminals on the power supply contained within 3 the second compartment 16 and voltage terminals on the electron discharge device enclosed within the first container 12. The bellows 17 is also fabricated from a suitable magnetic material, such as Kovar.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-A and l-B, which illustrate in partial cross section a side and top view respectively of the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1, there is shown a power supply 18 assembly secured within the second container 16. The power supply 18 is placed on the bottom of the second container 16 such that it is in thermal contact therewith even though it is electrically insulated from the container 16. The power supply '18 is mechani cally secured within the second container 16 by a suitable potting material 19, such as an epoxy or plastic foam material which also protects the power supply 18 from shock and vibrations. Furthermore, the potting material 19 does not surround or con-tact any of the voltage terminals 20 which protrude from the top of the power supply 18. Inasmuch as the potting material 19 is contained within the hermetically sealed second container 16, it need not be vacuum tight. Also, inasmuch as the potting material 19 does not surround the various high and low voltage terminals 20 of the power supply, it need not have a high dielectric strength. Accordingly, a potting material, such as epoxy, is selected which retains its mechanical strength 'over a long period of time. In order to further thermally couple the power supply to the bottom of the second container 16, an aluminum loaded epoxy may be utilized as the potting material 19. Primary power for the power supply 18 is coupled to the power input terminal 2 1 which is hermetically secured to the second container 16.

The power supply 18 may be fabricated according to any one or more well known techniques. For example, one type of power supply used constituted a welded module construction with cord-wood type packaging for high component density. Such a power supply can be fabricated from a plurality of inner connected modules each of which include cord wood like stacked components positioned between two epoxy boards. Openings in the epoxy boards locate and hold the components .in position and a suitable conductor, such as nickel ribbon, is used to inner connect the various components and/ or modules. A11 A.C. to D.C. power supply or a DC. to D.C. power supply may be utilized as the povver supply 18 enclosed within the second container 16.

Insulated voltage conductors or leads 22 are coupled to selected voltage terminals 20 on the power supply 18 which provide the operating voltages for the electron discharge device located within the first container 12. These elecvice, generally indicated by the reference character 25, in

a manner as illustrated in FIGURE 1-C. After the power supply is secured within the container 16 and the conductors 22 are connected to the voltage terminals on the power supply 16, the top portion of the power supply compartment is hermetically sealed to the container 16 by any suitable means, such as heliarcing, welding, brazing, etc.

The first and second containers 12 and .16, respectively, are mechanically and thermally secured to the base plate 11 by any suitable mounting means, such as bolts 26, which engage threaded inserts 27 provided in both the first 12 and second 16 containers. The threaded inserts 27 are brazed, welded or otherwise hermetically sealed within the first and second containers and because their threaded portions do not extend along their entire length, the threaded portions do not break the hermetic seal of the first or second containers.

Referring now to FIGURE 1-C, there is illustrated in partial cross section an electron discharge device, such as a traveling wave tube having a .gun section 28, a collect-or section 29 and an interaction section 30, secured within the first container 12. The traveling wave tube 25 is mounted within the first container 12 so that heat generated by it, such as the heat generated by the collector and gun sections 29 and 2 8, respectively, is thermally coupled to the bottom of the first container 12. This can be accomplished by first positioning the traveling wave tube 25 on mounting blocks '31 in a manner as illustrated in FIG- URE l-C. The mounting blocks 31 are preferably fabricated from a good heat conducting material, such as copper, Kovar, aluminum, etc. The traveling wave tube is then mechanically secured in the first container 12 by any suitable well known means (not shown), such as clamps, bolts, etc. Also, the traveling wave tube 25 may be mechanically and thermally secured within the first container 12 by an aluminum loaded epoxy (not shown) or other suitable potting material. As is the case with the power supply, the potting material does not contact any of the voltage terminals to which the conductors 22 are connected. As illustrated in FIGURE 1-C, the input 13 and output 14 terminals of the traveling wave tube 25 extend through and are hermetically secured to the top portion of the first container 12.

After the first 12 and second 16 hermetically sealed compartments containing the traveling wave tube 25 and power supply 1 8, respectively, are secured to the base plate 11 by the bolts 26 as illustrated in FIGURE 1A, and each end of the bellows 17 is hermetically sealed to the first 12 and second 16 containers, the unfilled space within the first and second containers and the bellows is evacuated by way of a tubulation 32 which is hermetically sealed to the first container 12 as illustrated in FIGURES 1-A and 1-C. The complete assembly is then leak checked according to well known techniques. After the hermetic integrity of the assembly has been established by leak checking, the assembly is again evacuated and then back filled with an inert gas sealed within the assembly may be at atmospheric sealed by nipping off the tubulation 32 by any suitable means, such as by using a hydraulic pressure welder. The inert gas sealed within the asesm-bly may be at atmospheric pressure or preferably 1.5 or 2 times atmospheric pressure. The inert gas enclosed within the bellows 17 and the first and second containers 12 and 1-6 surrounds .the various electrical conductors 22 and voltage terminals associated with the power supply and traveling wave tube, respectively. This inert gas prevents arcing and corona discharge between the voltage conductors and voltage terminals contained within the assembly illustrated in FIGURE 1. An inert gas having a high dielectric strength and a large molecular structure which prevents the gas from defusing through the walls of the assembly is preferably used. Such a gas is sulfur hexafluoride.

In view of the detailed description given above, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that when the assembly illustrated in FIGURES 1 through l-C is operated, the heat generated by the power supply and the traveling Wave tube is conducted to the bottom portions of the second and first containers 1'6 and 12, respectively, and then to the base plate 11. If desired, the base plate 11 can be done away with and the first and second containers may be secured to some portion of a space satellite or vehicle or other structure which will retain or conduct into space or the earths atmosphere the heat generated by the power supply and the traveling wave tube. This freedom of mounting the first and second containers 12 and 16 is provided by the flexible bellows 17 which permits the first and second containers to be mounted at various distances from each other. Also, the use of separate containers permits the power supply and traveling wave tube portions of the assembly to be fabricated and tested separately. 'Further, this type of construction permits one or the other of the containers 12 or 16 to be replaced without disturbing the other. As pointed out hereinabove, the power supply 18 and traveling wave tube 25 are shielded to prevent magnetic fields generated by the power supply or traveling wave tube from interacting with and affecting other components or external magnetic fields.

The traveling wave tube and power supply assembly illustrated in FIGURES 1 through l-C is capable of operating efficiently in various and diverse environments, such as those incurred in the earths atmosphere, in the vacuum of interplanetary space and in intermediate altitudes surrounding the earth and other planets or terrestrial bodies.

It should be'understood, of course, that the foregoing detailed description relates to only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and that numerous modifications or alterations may be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electron tube and power supply assembly comprising: a first hermetically sealed container, an electron tube having a vacuum envelope enclosed within said first container, a second hermetically sealed container, a power supply for providing operating voltages for said electron tube enclosed within said second container, a flexible tubular member having one of its ends hermetically secured to said first container adjacent an opening therein and its other end hermetically secured to said second container adjacent an opening therein thereby providing a passageway between the interior of said first and said second containers, means for applying operating potential to said electron tube coupled to said power supply and extending through said tubular member to said electron tube contained within said first container, and an inert gas enclosed within said first and second containers and said tubular member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said inert gas is characterized as having a large molecular structure and high dielectric strength.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said inert gas is sulfur hexafluoride.

4. An electron discharge device and power supply assembly comprising: a first hermetically sealed container, an electron discharge device enclosed within said first container, said electron discharge device thermally coupled to at least a portion of the surface of said first container, a second hermetically sealed container, a power supply for providing operating voltages for said electron discharge device enclosed within said second container, said power supply thermally coupled to at least a portion of the surface of said second container, a tubular member having one of its ends hermetically secured to said first container adjacent an opening therein and its other end hermetically secured to said second container adjacent an opening therein thereby providing a passageway between the interior of said first and said second containers, means for applying operating potential of said electron discharge device coupled to said power supply and extending through said tubular member to said electron discharge device con tained within said first container, and a gas enclosed within said first and second containers and said tubular member.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said gas is inert and surrounds the voltage terminals on said power supply and said electron discharge device.

6. An electron discharge device and power supply assembly comprising: a first hermetically sealed container fabricated from a magnetic material, an electron discharge device having a vacuum envelope enclosed within said first container, said electron discharge device thermally coupled to at least a portion of the surface of said first container, at second hermetically sealed container fabricated from a magnetic material, a power supply for providing operating voltages for said electron discharge device enclosed within said second container, said power supply thermally coupled to at least a portion of the surface of said second container, a flexible tubular member having one of its ends hermetically secured to said first container adjacent an opening therein and its other end hermetically secured to said second container adjacent on opening therein thereby providing a passageway between the interiors of said first and said second containers, means for applying operating potential to said electron discharge device coupled to said power supply and extending through said tubular member to said electron discharge device contained within said first container, and an inert gas enclosed within said first and second containers and said'tubular member, said inert gas being at least at atmospheric pressure.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said first and second containers and said tubular member are fabricated from Kovar.

8. An electron discharge device and power supply assembly comprising: a metallic base plate, a first vacuum tight compartment secured to said base plate, an electron discharge device secured within said first compartment and thermally coupled thereto, a second vacuum tight compartment secured to said base plate, a power supply for providing operating voltage for said electron discharge device secured within said second compartment and thermally coupled thereto, a hollow elastic tubular member having one of its ends vacuum tight secured to said first compartment adjacent an opening therein and its other end vacuum tight secured to said second compartment adjacent an opening therein thereby providing a passageway between the interior of said first and second compartments, at least one electrical conductor within said tubular member with one of its end connected to a voltage terminal on said power supply and its other end connected to said electron discharge device for providing operating voltage for said electron discharge device, and an inert gas contained within said first and said second compartment and said tubular member, said inert gas at least partially surrounding said power supply said electrical conductors and said electron discharge device.

9. The combination according to claim 8 wherein said power supply is mechanically secured within said second compartment so as to resist shock and vibration.

10. A traveling wave tube and power supply assembly comprising: a metallic base plate, a first hermetically sealed compartment fabricated from a magnetic material, said compartment being thermally and mechanically secured to said base plate, a traveling wave tube secured within said first compartment and thermally coupled thereto, a second hermetically sealed compartment fabricated from a magnetic material, said second compartment thermally and mechanically secured to said base plate, a power supply for providing operating voltage for said traveling wave tube secured within said second compartment and thermally coupled thereto, a hollow elastic bellows having one of its ends hermetically secured to said first compartment adjacent an opening therein and its other end hermetically secured to said second compartment adjacent an opening therein thereby providing a passageway between the interior of said first and second compartments, at least one electrical conductor within said bellows with one of its ends connected to a voltage terminal on said power supply and its other end connected to said traveling wave tube for providing operating voltage for said traveling wave tube, and an inert gas having a relatively large molecular structure and a high dielectric strength contained within said first and said second compartments and said bellows, said inert gas surrounding at least a portion of said power supply said electrical conductor and said traveling wave tube.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said base plate is fabricated from aluminum and said bellows and said first and second compartments are fabricated from Kovar.

12. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said inert gas is sulfur hexafluoride.

13. A traveling wave tube and power supply assembly comprising: a metallic base plate fabricated from a material which is a relatively good conductor of heat, a first hermetically sealed compartment fabricated from a magnetic material, said compartment being thermally and 7 mechanically secured to said base plate, a traveling wave tube mechanically secured within said first compartment and thermally coupled thereto, input and output terminals of said traveling wave tube extending through and hermetically sealed to said first compartment, a second vacuum tight compartment fabricated from a magnetic material, said second compartment thermally and mechanically secured to said base plate, a power supply for providing operating voltage for said traveling wave tube mechanically secured within said second compartment and thermally coupled thereto, a hollow elastic bellows having one of its ends hermetically secured to said first compartment adjacent an opening therein and its other end hermetically secured to said second compartment adjacent an opening therein thereby providing a passageway between the interior of said first and second compartments, at least one electrical conductor within said bellows with one of its ends connected to a voltage terminal on said power supply and its other end connected to said traveling wave tube for providing operating voltage for said traveling wave tube, and an inert gas at least at atmospheric pressure contained within said first and said second compartments and said bellows, said inert gas surrounding said electrical conductors and the voltage terminals on said traveling wave tube and said power supply.

14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein said output terminal of said traveling Wave tube is coaxial and a waveguide adapter is coupled thereto.

15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein said adapter includes an RF. energy filter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,886,625 5/1959 Wolfe 17417 X 2,912,624 11/1959 Wagner 317-100 2,985,791 5/1961 Bates et al. 315-35 3,162,723 12/1964 McCurtain 17452 X 3,200,296 8/1965 Bruestle 3l7100 ROBERT K. SCHAEFER, Primary Examiner.

KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Examiner.

M. GINSBURG, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No, 3, 274,448 September 20, 1966 Murray I, Disman et a1,

that error appears in the above numbered pat- It is hereby certified nd that the said Letters Patent should read as ent requiring correction a corrected below.

for "sufficiently" read efficient- Column 1, line 39,

-- device column 4,

ly line 49, for "deveice" read line 34, strike out "sealed within the assembly may be at atmospheric" and insert instead after which the complete assembly is hermetically column 5, line 52, for "of" read to column 6, line 27 for "end" read ends o Signed and sealed this 28th day of November 1967c (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J BRENNER Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

1. AN ELECTRON TUBE AND POWER SUPPLY ASSEMBLY COMPRISING: A FIRST HERMETICALLY SEALED CHAMBER, AN ELECTRON TUBE HAVING A VACUUM ENVELOPE ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID FIRST CONTAINER, A SECOND HERMETICALLY SEALED CONTAINER, A POWER SUPPLY FOR PROVIDING OPERATING VOLTAGES FOR SAID ELECTRON TUBE ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID SECOND CONTAINER, A FLEXIBLE TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING ONE OF ITS ENDS HERMETICALLY SECURED TO SAID FIRST CONTAINER ADJACENT AN OPENING THEREIN AND ITS OTHER END HERMETICALLY SECURED TO SAID SECOND CONTAINER ADJACENT AN OPENING THEREIN THEREBY PROVIDING A PASSAGEWAY BETWEEN THE INTERIOR OF SAID FIRST AND SAID SECOND CONTAINERS, MEANS FOR APPLYING OPERATING POTENTIAL TO SAID ELECTRON TUBE COUPLED TO SAID POWER SUPPLY AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID TUBULAR MEMBER TO SAID ELECTRON TUBE CONTAINED WITHIN SAID FIRST CONTAINER, AND AN INERT GAS ENCLOSED WITHIN SAID FIRST AND SECOND CONTAINERS AND SAID TUBULAR MEMBER. 